99 Red Balloons
by finnthevictor
Summary: "It's all over and I'm standin' pretty in this dust that was a city," He had no idea what he would do were she gone. *had to delete/edit bc i am dumb


Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. Otherwise there would've been a reveal like six episodes ago and everyone would be angry at how terrible it would be.

ok love u im unprofessional

* * *

He was numb—frozen, dazed, and he couldn't breathe. Paris was falling apart with each second he spent lying on his back, staring up at the clear blue sky. He couldn't remember just _how_ he ended up there, sprawled on the concrete, but he does know that she was _gone._ Gone from his sight and gone from his side where did she go why did he let her go? He hadn't seen her since _Le Machine de Guerre_ crushed a block of apartments—the same apartments where he last saw her; she had been taking refuge behind a billboard. He swallowed a cry that threatened to escape his lips at the thought of losing her, but it wasn't the time to grieve over the what ifs and maybes. He knew that she was fine. She had to be alright, because she was stronger than him in every aspect of his life. So he stuffed the lump back down his throat and ran a clawed hand through his hair. He had to find her. He had to stop the man that had taken the city away from him and his Lady.

Buildings were crumbling all around him; dust swirled around the sky as he searched for her. He sat up, squinting his eyes in the sunlight. He was focused and he held the breath that had slowly come back to him. Then he saw a red blur that broke up the bright blue and he let out a relieved sigh. He got up; ready to face whoever was behind the akuma attack; whomever was behind all of the darkness that plagued Paris.

He moved quickly through the streets. Most people had taken cover early on, some had evacuated to towns nearby. He made a list in his head. He knew his father was in Milan with Natalie, and that Nino was hanging out with Alya at her house while she worked on the LadyBlog. He knew Marinette was home because _he_ walked her there. He had a gut feeling that something horrific was going to happen after school, and he wanted to make sure she got home safely. Not because he had a crush on her, of course. _She was a friend._ He thought. _A_ _good friend._ **You spend all your time thinking about a good friend? Writing her name in a little heart? Oh, Marinette, my good** _ **friend.**_ He smacked his forehead in annoyance, begging Plagg to shut his mouth and to stop clogging his thoughts. _Close friends?_ He didn't know, but she hadn't been acting as awkward around him anymore. So he took that as a good sign. And, _maybe_ he _had_ caught her as she tripped over her own feet and she looked up at him and the sparkle in her baby blues made his heart stop for a minute. It's also possible that he's found himself, on multiple occasions, staring at her laughing with Alya. Maybe he _does_ get a weird feeling every time Nino, or Nathanaël, or Kim, talk to her and make her smile. He loved Ladybug. **Okay,** _ **princess.**_ **Why did you** _ **walk**_ _**her**_ _**home**_ **today then?** He—he didn't have an answer. But, just the thought of her in the middle of an akuma attack made his heart beat irregularly and his palms sweaty. He loved his Lady, but she had rejected him a hundred times over, so maybe he was moving on. Maybe he wasn't just close friends with Marinette. Maybe they were a little more than that.

Maybe even a lot more than that.

Panic set in when he lost track of the red blurb in the sky. Where had she gone? He heard a pained scream in the direction of the buildings that collapsed. It sounded so very familiar; _Marinette_? _But how could she have gotten all the way over there?_ She was home she was home safe and sound he ignored every inch of his mind heart and soul that screamed at him and called him an idiot for not seeing what was right in front of him. He focused on the sky again, determined to find _her_ swinging from building to building. Then, he spotted the red blur. A small gasp escaped his lips. It was just a balloon from the park. Goddamn goddamn why why is the universe so cruel where is she where is she why isn't she next to me? Probably released by a terrified child. He cursed under his breath. She's gone she's gone he can't find her where did she go how could she leave him how could she how could he let her leave?

His mind was screaming and his lungs were on fire. But he felt unstoppable. He bet he'd looked pretty good, too, running through the streets of Paris; wind in his hair, dirt smeared on his face, a little bit of dried blood under his nose—a hot mess. Maybe he could fling himself onto Marinette's balcony, wounded and bloody. She would patch him up and get him back out there. Plagg laughed at his torn heart; laughed at the fact that _Marinette wasn't home_. He decided not to listen to his kwami; that he would go make sure she was alright, get a bandage for the scratch on his bicep, and a kiss on the cheek.

He cursed again. He needed to focus. He started toward her family's bakery when he heard an angry, "This is it, my feline _friend_ , this is _war_." He turned around, face-to-face with the akuma. The pin he wore must be what was akumatized. But he needed Ladybug to erase the evil inside it. He needed her to fix his mistakes and to clean up the city and _he needed her to be okay_. As if on cue, a _miraculous_ red balloon floated past him and _Le Machine de Guerre_ was momentarily distracted. A big, red target to shoot his gun at. Then another balloon whooshed past. And another. Soon, balloons erupted from around him. _What the hell? Where are they coming from? Were they a sign from Ladybug?_ He was lost in his own mind until a gunshot rang out. _Le Machine de Guerre_ shot at them all, each bursting with a deafening pop. He waited, and waited. And waited. Until...an opening. Swarmed by red balloons, the War Machine didn't stand a chance against him. He grabbed the pin from the man's chest and ran. Ran like hell towards the last place he saw Ladybug. Praying to all the gods and none of them all the same that she was okay.

When he reached her, she was on her last beep. Covered in debris, hiding under a huge chunk of brick and cement, that, incidentally, her leg was caught under. Her baby blue eyes were closed and her brow furrowed slightly in either anger or agony. He used his cataclysm to destroy the brick and free her. He knelt down next to her, brushing dirt off her face. He sighed.

"Oh, my Lady. I'm sorry. I should have stayed. Shouldn't have let you run off on your own. God, I'm so stupid," he whispered. "Please, wake up, my Lady. Paris needs you. _I_ need you," he breathed. He brushed his fingers against her cheek lightly. Her eyes fluttered open as the final beep signaled her transformation.

"Chat," she whispered weakly. She reached for his hand and pulled it to her face. He stared at her, cradling her cheek as she was engulfed in a reddish light.

 _Marinette._

Her kwami was disoriented, tired, hungry, and dirty. He heard the little bug sigh sadly as she stared at Ladybug. _Marinette_. _His_ _Lady_. The girl who couldn't talk to him. The girl who was so friendly and brave and kind and so breathtakingly beautiful. The girl who closed her eyes again and snuggled a bit closer to him. He placed her head on his lap and she shivered. Her breathing was slow, but steady. She gripped his hand tighter.

His ring beeped and he turned back into simple Adrien.

She didn't open her eyes.

* * *

He stood atop a tall building, overlooking the city. His city. The city that had been crushed to nothing more than dust. It was broken. Tired. Quiet. Lonely. He was no longer Chat Noir. It was over.

"How can you look so good, just standing there like that?" he heard her mumble. He shrugged but smiled, walking back toward her voice.

"You think they'll start rebuilding soon?" she asked. Probably. It _has_ been over a month now. He shrugged again, sitting on the ledge of her balcony, taking her hand and entwining their fingers. Her leg was still in a cast, dozens of signatures littered the white. Her favorite, however, was a little black cat doodled on her thigh. She brushed her fingers against it, remembering what he did for her.

Gave his ring to _Hawkmoth_ , stupid cat what a stupid stupid cat, ceasing _Le Machine de Guerre_ and his reign of terror. But it gave Hawkmoth the upper hand. As soon as he crushed the ring with his hand, he became stronger as he absorbed the miraculous power. He laughed manically and bore his eyes into Marinette's skull. Her eyes were still closed, so Adrien waited. And waited. Until—An opening. Adrien took a pipe from the rubble and proceeded to whack Hawkmoth over the head with it as the despicable man tried to grab Lady— _Marinette's_ earrings. He took Hawkmoth's akuma; a broach attached to his collar; and crushed it with his foot. Darkness rose from the broken jewelry, swirling around Adrien as it changed to a bright white. He had looked to Marinette instead of the broach, or the man, or the darkness, her blue eyes wide open and a gasp falling from her lips. Once the light faded, he reached out to pick up the remnants of the ring, _his ring_ , destroyed by a cowardly man who hid behind a mask. A flash of purple light, and then; Adrien was looking down at his father.

The man was taken away, leaving Adrien alone. Well, almost. Nino and his family took him in, as Natalie sold their estate on behalf of Gabriel. And the Dupain-Chengs' welcomed him with open arms and bone-crushing hugs. Still, he lost so much. Marinette shook her head. Just thinking about the pain Adrien must feel. Her Chat. She let her head fall onto his lap and planted a kiss to his hand that still held hers. A shy smile made its way across his face.

He had an idea.

He wanted to show everyone that they were still here. Watching. Protecting. He wanted to show her that he was okay. He said he'd 'be right back' twenty minutes ago. She got out of her seat and had been hobbling back and forth for about fifteen of those minutes. Ignoring the pain in her leg, she stood at the ledge and whipped out her phone when she heard the trap door slam shut. She turned to see him clutching the string of a single red balloon. She threw him a questioning look.

"Whoever let those balloons loose gave me the chance to get to you," he stated. She smirked. She guessed her lucky charm was useful after all. He held out the string and she took it gently. Shakily. Adrien sat down in her pink chair under the shade. He smirked at her as he pulled her onto his lap and she rested her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were glass reflecting the sky, so she shut them before her tears could betray her. She kissed his cheek and he mumbled something about letting Paris know and letting go.

She thought of Adrien and his smile. Of Chat and his smugness and his puns. But Adrien _was_ Chat. _Of course he was you silly girl you knew it all along._ She thought of how much has changed since the reveal. Since that day. She thought of all the times he put her life before his. And all the times she did the same. All the pain, the suffering, the loss. The thought of losing each other. But he didn't lose her that day. And she didn't lose him. She held him tighter. She knew what he meant. So, she smiled and released the balloon. Giving Paris a sign. Thinking of him. Letting it go.

She opened her eyes.


End file.
